On 12 December 2017, Rethinking Economics and the New Weather Institute published ’33 Theses for an Economics Reformation’ to mark 500 years since the Catholic Reformation. The Theses, which were endorsed by students and economists and nailed to the doors of the London School of Economics, are reproduced below. The world faces poverty, inequality, ecological crisis and financial …
Who remembers the Big Society? Launched to great fanfare at the start of 2010, the Big Society was David Cameron’s big idea to create more social action, empower communities and open up public services. Seven years on, what is the legacy of the Big Society agenda, and what impact has it had in communities? In Sunderland, …
Liam Fox announced a Trade Bill this morning, the day after a consultation on proposals to be included in the bill closed. What is most vital is what is missing from the bill – the absence of anything to ensure that trade policy is accountable to the public and parliament. Trade deals today have profound …
On 30 October people from across civil society gathered to discuss an important question: how can we continue to address specific inequalities in our society without increasing divisions between communities and groups? The meeting is one of dozens of independently organised Conversations being hosted around the country, the insights of which are playing an important …
Just like the railway, Facebook is a private monopoly running a public service. We, the public, don’t have real competition and consumer choice, but we don’t have a democratic say as citizens either. The internet has been a virtual wild west, fast-moving and little regulated, with tech companies competing for territory. But now there are clear natural monopolies …
To say that society is shaped by the relations underpinning the way that economic activity is organized is not a new idea. It is most famously associated with Karl Marx, but you don’t have to be a Marxist to recognise that culture, customs and civic life are all to some degree influenced by economic forces. …
Ten years ago the French bank BNP Paribas ceased activity in three hedge funds, announcing that it could no longer measure the value of instruments based on US subprime mortgages. The event is widely regarded as representing the beginning of the global financial crisis, as what had previously been regarded as minor turbulence in the …
Civil Society Futures Marks Gate workshop The basics: Who? Active citizens of Marks Gate, Barking and Dagenham What? Discussing the future of Marks Gate, and the forces shaping it Where? St Marks Church, Barking. When? 6:30pm, 27th June, 2017 Why? This was part of Goldsmith’s research Insights: (what stood out for you?) It was clear …
